Sher Bahadur Deuba becomes Nepal's PM for 5th time
Kathmandu: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba on Tuesday became the country's Prime Minister for the fifth time, media reports said.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed him in accordance with Article 76(5) of the Constitution, The Himalayan Times reported.
This is the fifth time that 74-year-old Deuba is returning to power as the Prime Minister of Nepal.
His appointment is in line with the ruling issued by the Supreme Court on Monday to make way for his claim to premiership, replacing incumbent K P Sharma Oli.
The Office of the President has apprised Deuba of his appointment, the report said.
It was not immediately known when the swearing-in ceremony would take place as efforts were on for its preparation.
Previously, Deuba served as Nepal's Prime Minister four times from June 2017 February 2018, June 2004 February 2005, July 2001 October 2002 and September 1995 March 1997.
Deuba is required to seek a vote of confidence from the House within 30 days of his appointment as the Prime Minister, as per the constitutional provisions.
The Supreme Court on Monday overturned Prime Minister Oli's May 21 decision to dissolve the House of Representatives and ordered the appointment of Deuba as prime minister.
The five-member Constitutional Bench led by Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana said that Oli's claim to the post of prime minister was unconstitutional.
Reinstating the House yet again -- the court had restored the House earlier on February 23 after Oli dissolved it on December 20 -- the bench has ordered to make arrangements for holding the House meeting by 5 PM on July 18.
In its order, the constitutional bench said President Bhandari's decision to reject Deuba's claim to form a new government was unconstitutional.
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Houses only for eligible evictees, not encroachers: Dy CM Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said the state government would not provide houses to encroachers and would rehabilitate only eligible evictees on humanitarian grounds.
Responding to questions on whether housing would be provided to residents evicted during the recent demolition drive at Kogilu in north Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the government would not “gift” anything to those who had illegally occupied government land. He added that strict action would be taken against those who facilitated encroachments.
“There is no appeasement politics. Housing will be provided through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana only to eligible evictees on humanitarian grounds,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said several evictees had informed officials that they were allowed to set up sheds after paying money to intermediaries. “We will take action against those who collected money and enabled encroachment of government land,” he said.
He added that some evictees had claimed land rights were issued to them in the past. “I have asked officials to verify these claims. Some outsiders have also encroached the land recently. We will identify the original settlers and rehabilitate only genuine beneficiaries,” he said.
Responding to criticism from CPI(M) leaders and MPs from Kerala, Shivakumar said, “We are running our government well. They can make any statement they want, but we will not allow encroachments. The Left government in Kerala, which has not fulfilled promises made to flood victims, has no right to lecture Karnataka.”
Clarifying remarks attributed to him about Kerala, Shivakumar said he had not spoken ill of Keralites. “BJP leader Rajeev Chandrashekhar is twisting my statement and misleading people. I share a good relationship with the people of Kerala. I will campaign in the Kerala elections, and our government will come to power there,” he said.
He also said local body elections would be held next year and that the state’s guarantee schemes would continue.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and other BJP leaders accused the Congress government of providing houses to “illegal immigrants” evicted from government land at Kogilu. Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka alleged that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh were residing in the area using fake Aadhaar cards.
